Image courtesy of the Dalfo family.
| BRITISH COLUMBIA ARTISTS |
In a 1976 interview with Dalfo, he said that he worked as an apprentice for sculptor Charles Marega from 1918 to 1923, although Marega did not live in Vancouver from 1921 to 1923.
The June 1926 Paint Box notes that he was Charles Marega's assistant at the Vancouver School of Decorative & Aplied Arts, helping students with plaster work in modeling class, but no further information is provided. The article also notes his name as "Mr. Alfredo Dal Fo" which is incorrect.
The City Directories list him as a plasterer in 1930, living at 613 Union with Josephine and Mary (widow); as a painter in 1935, at same address with Josephine, Marina, and Mary; and in 1940 and 1941 as the Proprietor of Dalfo Art Studio, 876 Hastings Street, residence still 613 Union Street, living with Emma, Josephine, Maria, and Victor.
DALFO Art Studio __ Statuary
Ornamental plaster for homes and theatres |
In 1942 he is listed as the Proprietor of Potter Manufacturing Company, a pottery maker working at 876 East Hastings Street. His employment is not noted in 1943. In 1944 he is listed as a mold maker with Vancouver Metals Company, a foundry at 2235 Triumph. The next year he was listed as "chipper" at Van Metals, now living at 2480 Yale with Josephine and Marina. He married Rose Ann Iaci in Vancouver in 1945, his occupation noted as "model maker - Owner of model shop" and Rose was a Dress-maker.
Interestingly, Alfredo's brother Victor is listed in the Directories as a "sculptor" in 1941, and as a "statuary maker" in 1942. In 1955 he was employed as a truck driver. Later in life he worked as a longshoreman.
A book titled "Neon Eulogy: Vancouver Cafe and Street" by Keith McKellar has a reference to "Artist Alfred Dalfo of Vancouver" working on a mural in the ceiling of the Orpheum Theatre during its restoration in 1976.
Frank also said that Dalfo did a lot of work for churches, in particular Our Lady of Sorrows Church at 555 South Slocan, where Dalfo was "in charge" of the sculptural work.
According to one of Dalfo's daughters, Dalfo was commissioned to create coats-of-arms for 10 Provincial Courthouses across Canada.
Alfredo died in North Vancouver in 1993 at the age of 88. His employment was noted as "linesman" which is a longshoreman's job to handle the lines to tie up ships upon arrival, and untie them for departure. He was survived by his wife and two daughters, they were still living on Yale Street in Vancouver.
Some of Dalfo's sculptural work remained in storage in his garage/workshop after his death. Eventually the city of Vancouver condemned the building and it was demolished. Some of the sculptural work "was quite large, over six feet tall."
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
| DATE | EXHIBITION | ARTWORK |
TRUSTEES 1925 ANNUAL REPORT by Vancouver School Board
Photograph of Vancouver School of Decorative & Applied Arts modelling class
Dalfo is tentatively identified as being the man on the right side of the photograph.
B.C. VITAL STATISTICS ON-LINE marriage, death, mother & father death, brother marriage & death (refer to BCVS)
CITY & PROVINCIAL DIRECTORIES 1910 - 1955 (refer to DIR)
On-line research: various memorial articles and blogs
Telephone interview with Frank Iaci, Alfredo Dalfo's brother-in-law, February 5 2022.
Telephone interview, email correspondence, meeting with Alfredo Dalfo's daughter, June - September 2022.
Research information provided by Jim Bradbury, King George High School Archives, September 2022.
Research information from Vancouver City Archives, fond AM-1416, January 2023.